2 weeks ago
The pursuing is simply a transcript of an question and reply pinch Rep. Summer Lee, Democrat of Pennsylvania, that aired connected April 28, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We spell now to Democratic Congresswoman Summer Lee. She joins america from her territory successful Pittsburgh. Good greeting to you, Congresswoman.
REP. SUMMER LEE: Good morning. Good to beryllium pinch you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You conscionable heard our CBS polling successful reference to your location state. I cognize past weekend, Governor Shapiro told us, if President Biden's region connected earthy state permits goes connected a agelong clip it'll costs Pennsylvania jobs. And we're seeing successful our polling, nan cognition that Donald Trump would beryllium amended 49% of voters said, than Joe Biden 33% connected these lipid and state exploration issues. This seems to beryllium a headwind for Democrats successful your state. Are you concerned?
REP. LEE: Yeah, I deliberation that there's- a I deliberation there's a batch to beryllium concerned about. Right? I deliberation that erstwhile we look astatine these polls, you know, we'll propulsion retired 1 rumor astatine a time. But nan reality is, is that location are a number of issues mixed together that make voters consciousness confident, that make voters- immoderate different voters consciousness hopeless, aliases consciousness for illustration possibly there's a small logic to participate. And I deliberation that we're dealing pinch that a lot, right? When we talk to voters passim my election, we talked to a batch of voters who, whether it's nan economy, nan value of you know, goods, gas, food, things of that nature, aliases abortion, for illustration each of these different issues made voters consciousness for illustration location was very small options that they had, and that they didn't want to participate. And we person to fig retired thing very quickly to reside that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In your primary, which you won, your antiauthoritarian challenger's constituent of onslaught was your willingness to break pinch President Biden successful his unequivocal support for Israel pinch its warfare pinch Hamas and Gaza? You've called for a ceasefire. If you judge that this is specified a matter of conscience, and truthful important, tin you genuinely inquire progressive voters to spell and ballot for Joe Biden successful November?
REP. LEE: Yeah, I deliberation that we do that each year, each 2 years, we inquire voters, progressive voters, we inquire achromatic and brownish voters, young voters, we inquire them to measurement nan totality of our options, right? The totality of a candidate, nan totality of nan things that we attraction about, that we travel to nan polling places pinch and that's not new, right? This is an rumor that gets a batch of rumor and location are going to beryllium very reasonably a batch of group who will consciousness apprehension astir that. And I deliberation that is not a foregone conclusion, that there's conscionable thing that Democrats tin do. When we look astatine an predetermination for illustration mine, we've seen really celebrated it is to return a pro-peace stance, really celebrated it is to telephone for a different guidance successful nan policies that nan United States has towards nan warfare successful Gaza, towards sending unconditional weapons, violative weapons to Netanyahu and our authorities still has clip to react, we still person clip to perceive to nan folks who person feelings astir that. And that's what we person to do.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you went to meet pinch immoderate of nan field protesters retired successful Pittsburgh recently, you are successful support of immoderate of those young group who person chosen to protestation against what's happening successful Gaza. Do you perceive from them that they're excited to spell ballot for Joe Biden?
REP. LEE: To beryllium honest, you know, we don't. It's not a taxable that, you know, ever comes up, but it does a lot. I deliberation that nan number 1 extremity for them correct now, you know, conscionable listening to what they had to opportunity is that they want to spot a ceasefire successful Gaza, they want to spot nan indiscriminate bombings and killings and right- that is nan logic why they're connected there's a batch of sound astir this that- that distracts from that. There's a batch of sound that tries to return distant from that cardinal message. But, that is nan cardinal point they are fighting for and they judge and they consciousness for illustration our authorities tin do more. And that's what they're looking for. They're looking for immoderate benignant of acknowledgement from our leadership, that they perceive our needs, that they perceive these young group saying that we want our country, we want our authorities to spell successful a different direction.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I perceive you intelligibly distinguishing betwixt Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israel, but immoderate people, and I'm judge you cognize this, perceive disapproval and understand it arsenic antisemitic erstwhile it is captious of Israel. The Prime Minister of Israel said that what's happening connected America's assemblage campuses is horrific. He said nan protesters are antisemitic mobs, and he compared it to what's happening successful German universities backmost successful nan 1930s. How do you respond to that aliases nan cognition of that, possibly among immoderate of your constituents?
REP. LEE: Certainly, you know, his connection is intentional and it's ever been. But nan 1 point that I cognize is that Benjamin Netanyahu has not been connected nan assemblage field successful nan United States. He has not talked to these students. He has not seen their encampments, he has not seen aliases heard nan connection that they're delivering and he doesn't want to perceive it, right? His number 1 extremity is, you cognize what he's doing complete location and thing that that harms or- aliases helps aliases makes it harder for him to execute that goal, he's going to- he's going to distract from. But, this thought that each disapproval of Israel is antisemitic is dangerous. There is simply a adjacent critique that we must make of each authorities of each warfare of each appropriation and erstwhile we opportunity that students who are engaging successful nan clip honored contented of civilian disobedience, of field protests and action are inherently bad, are inherently antisemitic, peculiarly arsenic we spot Jewish students opinionated successful solidarity pinch Muslim students, aliases Arab students and Black students. When you're connected nan ground, you spot that each of those students person been moving together aliases had been learning and educating together and they are each successful 1 sound crying for a quality successful direction, peculiarly from Benjamin Netanyahu. So I'm not shocked that he would want to formed them arsenic evil, formed them arsenic successful nan incorrect that's been his MO.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Congresswoman, convey you for explaining what's happening wrong your statement and your position. We'll person to time off it correct there. We'll beryllium correct back.
